Window smashed at MP's offices

A window has been smashed at the offices of a Worcestershire MP caught up in the row over MPs' expenses.

The damage was caused during Wednesday morning at the offices of Bromsgrove Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride.

Her husband, MP Andrew MacKay, resigned as an aide to Conservative leader David Cameron on Thursday after confirming he claimed for a second home allowance.

Ms Kirkbride was claiming the allowance for another property. Public anger has been growing over MPs' expenses claims.

Ms Kirkbride's agent, Rita Dent, said windows were smashed at the office during the run-up to every election and the incident was being blown out of proportion.

Ms Kirkbride has said she believed her husband had done the right thing and she believed her own expenses were permissible and reasonable.

She said: "I will make my expense details available for scrutiny by my constituents as soon as possible."

She said it was quite right that MPs were coming under intense scrutiny over the issue.

"As Bromsgrove MP for 12 years, I want to assure my constituents that I understand the public anger and I hope Andrew's prompt action demonstrates to people how seriously the Conservative Party and its MPs take these matters."

She told BBC Hereford and Worcester: "I did know how my husband was making claims. He's been an MP for a long time...

"Mine was much more straightforward - I hesitate to say normal in the circumstances.

"But mine is based on the fact that I live in London and I have a home in Bromsgrove at which many of my constituents have been to visit me and it's pretty straightforward in that sense."

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